My friend Sonja has this expression: “Everything reflects everything.” She talked about it at length in the interview I did with her, but to me, it says that everything is connected. That how you do one thing is how you do everything. That if one part of your life is suffering, so will other areas be also.
This is simultaneously A LOT OF PRESSURE, and also extremely helpful. When you know everything is connected, you recognize that the fact that you haven’t done laundry in two months is impacting how you feel and show up in the world, and that can feel like a lot to handle. How can we always have our laundry done and every aspect of our lives aligned to our highest standards? We can’t. It’s a game we can’t win.
On the other hand, knowing that everything is connected is very helpful, because it gives you an easy place to begin. When things feel like they’re crumbling and you want to throw it all in and run away, you realize that you could also probably just start with the laundry. You remember that once you do, you’ll likely feel a bit better about life as a whole.
Earlier this week I was tired from all the build-up and inevitable let-down of running my big masterclass at Make Lemonade. I felt restless. I wanted another big project, some other kind of challenge, and yet I was energetically depleted. I wanted to throw it all in and run away – change apartments, or maybe cities?
But instead, I put on a podcast and cleaned my bathroom. I polished it until it shone and washed the floors and windows, and suddenly everything – not just the bathroom, but my life – felt more sparkly and fresh and new. I no longer wanted to throw it in. It helped me appreciate far more what I already have.
Note to self: next time you want to throw your hands up in the air, take out the overflowing recycling. Arrange your shoes neatly. Clear off your desktop. Wash the dishes. Organize the fridge. Clean up.
